A sudden declaration of martial law by an unpopular president late Tuesday night focused domestic and global attention on South Korean politics.

For the last two and half years, Korea’s pro-democratic opposition has decried President Yoon Suk-yeol’s “prosecutor dictatorship.” The term describes his use of the prosecution service to frustrate liberal and progressive politicians, media, and labor unions, accompanied by a revival of anti-communist rhetoric associated with past dictatorships.

For instance, in his August 2023 Liberation Day speech, Yoon declared that “the forces of communist totalitarianism have always disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates, or progressive activists while engaging in despicable and unethical tactics and false propaganda.” This kind of slander made many worry that Yoon’s regime would lead to a regression of democracy; to others, Yoon’s rants simply sounded like the tired mantra of old-school conservatives who routinely parrot the language of dictatorship era.